The Basics Twists
With all the fantastic articles on here, here is a basic primer on the twists used in balloon sculpturing. Learn these, and you will be able to twist ANYTHING. It’s just a matter of combining these necessary twists in different size combinations and with another type of balloon. Yes, you will twist the huge sculptures that you see and even the smaller intricate ones. Learn these. Get to know all these like the back of your hand.
Enjoy and keep on Twistin!
Balloon Basics
Fold Twist
Start from the nozzle end.
Twist a one-inch bubble, a 2+inche bubble.
Connect the two joints.
Suggested uses:
Ears for a famous mouse.
Tuck the first bubble inside the fold twist, and you have a tire.
In a multiple balloon creation, it can be afoot for a cartoon character.
Lock Twist
Start from the nozzle end
Twist a one-inch bubble, two 2+inch bubbles.
Connect the first and the third joint.
Do this three times, in different proportions, and you have:
Suggested uses:
A rabbit, wiener dog, mouse, aardvark, giraffe basic animals
Ear Twist/Pinch Twist
Start from the nozzle end.
Twist two one-inch bubbles.
Connect the two joints. The twist will be a little tight, but it forms and is a nice twist.
Suggested uses:
Use this to put ears on basic animals, etc.
Roll Over Twist (No, not rollover minutes.)
Start from the nozzle end.
Twist a lock twist as previously described.
Twist another bubble just slightly smaller than the two bubbles in your lock twist.
Shove that bubble up between the bubbles in your lock, twist and roll THOSE bubbles around it.
Suggested uses:
Wow, now you can have the animals sitting down. Advanced artists use this for the body of some of their more complex creations.
Apple Twist
(Looks like an apple)
Start from the nozzle end.
Poke a finger in the balloon from the nozzle.
Grab the nozzle through the sides of the balloon. The nozzle is inside the balloon.
Take your finger out of the balloon and twist where you have the nozzle grabbed.
Suggested uses:
Some artists have used this for a pig’s nose, a steering wheel…
4. Hook Twist
Start from the nozzle end.
Poke a finger in the balloon, but off-center.
Grab the nozzle through the side of the balloon.
Pull finger out of the balloon and twist the balloon, but
Make sure the nozzle is a bit outside the balloon. When you twist, it will
Lock the nozzle outside the balloon and help keep it secure.
5 Bubble Pop Twist
Twist a two-inch bubble, three once-inch bubbles, and a two-inch bubble.
Lock the first and the sixth joint together.
Ear twist the second and fourth bubble.
Pop the third bubble (Marked X)
Suggested uses:
How about using this twist for fancier legs in a basic animal? How about making a three-legged stand to display animals on?
HOT TIP- When you are doing a pop twist, before you pop the bubble, twist those ear twists that surround the “pop” bubble in half. This will help keep the bubbles from coming undone.
9 Bubble Pop Twist
Twist 10 one-inch bubbles.
Connect the second through the tenth bubbles at the first and tenth joint.
Ear twist the x bubbles.
Pop the dot bubble.
Suggested uses:
Artists have used this for legs, deer antlers, spider legs, arms… the possibilities are endless.
That’s pretty much it. Look at the balloon art out there, and you will see all these twists, in some form or another, in the creation. You have the tools and the technique. Now, go out and create! Keep on Twistin!
Thanks for the above info. I wish I had seen this earlier on in my twisting. It would have helped a lot. The leg twisting of the 9 bubbles I think is something I do not do much but should probably practice on using.